When I was told a couple weeks ago that my friend Tatiana Quiroga had been named one of Watermark’s 2021 Remarkable People, I had the same reaction as I had upon finding out around the same time that Salma Hayek had just been given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Which is to say, surprise that it had taken this long for her to be recognized for the honor.
Tati is just one of those people that stand out in any room, even if like Salma she stands at barely over 5 feet tall. She has that thing that many of us who grew up in LatinX families with strong matriarchs recognize right away: a strength of character that demands we sit up and take notice.
The first time I “met” Tati was over a Zoom call during the pandemic. I was working for the One Orlando Alliance and she was a director at Family Equality. She had just agreed to step into a leadership role on the Anti-Racism Task Force for OOA at the last minute, and for the first time, but certainly not the last time, I marveled at her willingness to do the hard thing and do it with a smile. Every time she spoke, her 20 years of working as an advocate for social justice, racial and gender equity, and the LGBTQ+ movement showed through. It was obvious that she knew what she was talking about and that we would all do well to listen to what she had to say.
After serving with her on the board of Come Out With Pride, my admiration and respect for her have only grown. Almost immediately after being chosen as the first executive director of COWP, she helped guide us through the dual historic crises of what to do about police involvement in Pride and the resurgence of COVID. Her calm demeanor and steady hand in no small way led to arguably the most successful Pride in COWP history. Perhaps not surprising given the challenges she has had to overcome in her life as a three-year-old immigrant from Bolivia and a person living with a hidden disability. Only a very few know how hard she works to manage her dyslexia given her leadership duties that necessitate constant professional written and verbal communication. Trust me when I say it isn’t easy for her and makes her all the more remarkable.
On a personal note, Tati has quickly grown into a trusted confidante and occasional co-conspirator. She is always there to listen to me when I need a sympathetic ear and to help me plan how lesbians can take over the world, or at least Orlando. Even more importantly to me, she is one of my most ardent supporters as a trans person and of all trans people. She recently joined me at services for Transgender Day of Remembrance and is one of my few cisgender lesbian friends to ever show up for me in that way. I am very proud to call her a friend and even more proud that she has earned the title of Remarkable Person. Congratulations Tati. It is well deserved.
To view the full list of Watermark’s Remarkable People of 2021, click here.
